Pensacola to spend $23,000 on television show

Hayward's opponents cry foul

11:09 PM,
Apr. 21, 2014

Written by

T.S. Strickland
tsstrickland@pnj.com

Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward on Monday defended his decision to spend more than $23,000 of taxpayer money on a television show, starring himself, during an election season.

The weekly series would give viewers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into city operations, with Hayward as their guide. The show, which would cost about $23,555, would air during a nine-week period this summer on BLAB TV, ending Aug. 14 - less than two weeks before the primary election.

That timing has raised some eyebrows. Hayward's mayoral opponents seized the issue Monday, questioning whether the expenditure was an ...